The U. S. Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology division has announced the appointment of Dr. Richard T. Roca, director of The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md., to serve on the Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee (HSSTAC). He is among 19 prominent individuals named to the Committee on Feb. 26.

"Secretary Ridge and I are delighted to welcome these advisors to our team," said Dr. Charles McQueary, Under Secretary for Science and Technology, when announcing the appointments. "We look forward to working with the Committee to harness the nation's scientific knowledge to protect America and our way of life from terrorists and their weapons of mass destruction."

"I am honored and proud to serve," Dr. Roca says. "Our Laboratory was directly affected by the results of Sept. 11, and all of us at APL are committed to do what we can — individually and collectively — to protect our neighbors and our nation."

HSSTAC has been established to serve as a source of independent scientific and technical planning advice to the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, as mandated by the Homeland Security Act of 2002.

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The Applied Physics Laboratory, a division of The Johns Hopkins University, meets critical national challenges through the innovative application of science and technology. For information, visit www.jhuapl.edu.